SAN FRANCISCO – It was a bad day for Mike Nolan both on the field and in the replay booth.
The 49ers' coach lost two challenges Sunday, including a questionable challenge of an Eagles field goal that seemed unlikely to be overturned. That 38-yard field goal came midway through the fourth quarter and allowed Philadelphia to retake the lead 27-26. Losing the challenge left the 49ers with one timeout.
The ball was moving from left to right and seemed to soar over the right goal post. Just as both officials raised their arms to say it was good, several 49ers, including cornerback Nate Clements, began gesturing the kick was wide right.
"Well, they reviewed it and said it was good," Clements said after the game. "They may have had a better look."
Said kicker David Akers: "I'm usually pretty good at judging whether I made a particular kick, and I felt I had made that one. I had no doubt in my mind. … You never know how instant replay is going to affect you, but I was pretty confident that the ruling wouldn't be overturned, and it wasn't."
Nolan said he didn't know whether he was allowed to challenge the play or not.
"I didn't think it was good, to be honest with you," said Nolan, who was told by the official he couldn't challenge the play because the ball was above the upright. "I was going to say, 'Well, then I get my challenge back.' But he says, 'No, you're not going to get your challenge back.' "
Nolan also lost a challenge in the first half when he contested a 27-yard pass down the sideline to Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson.
Vernon's back – After catching one pass in the past two games, tight end Vernon Davis had his most prolific game of the season, catching six passes for 75 yards.
But Davis and quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan failed to connect on what would have been the tight end's biggest play of the game.
Late in the third quarter, the 49ers had driven to the Philadelphia 11-yard-line and were facing third and six. O'Sullivan and the rest of the offense went right, leaving Davis alone on the left side of the field.
"That would have been six (points) because there was no one there," Davis said.
But O'Sullivan had to rush his screen pass, and it sailed over Davis' head. Instead of taking a 30-17 lead, the 49ers settled for a field goal.
"He had a lot of pressure on that," Davis said of O'Sullivan. "He had to get rid of it."
Action Jackson – Jackson, the former Cal star, brought his family to the game and even hired a photographer to document the occasion. He didn't disappoint.
After dropping the first pass that came his way, Jackson had a game-high 98 receiving yards.
"He brings your team a jubilant mentality," Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb said of Jackson. "But more than that, he's the guy that can make plays, and that's contagious. He looks like he's going to be developing into an excellent player as the season wears on."
Et cetera – Fullback Zak Keasey left the game with an arm injury and did not return. He was replaced by Michael Robinson. Davis had a cut on his left forearm that required several stitches to close.
• Rookie Josh Morgan saw his most significant action while substituting for wide receiver Bryant Johnson, who is dealing with several nagging injuries, including a groin issue.
• Return man Allen Rossum started Sunday's game when he was split out as a wide receiver.
Read Matthew Barrows' 49ers blog at www.sacbee.com/ninersblog.
